Ten arrested on suspicion of human trafficking

Ten arrested on suspicion of human trafficking

The suspects were arrested on orders from the Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime in Belgrade in a police investigation conducted with the Hungarian National Bureau of Investigation, following months of exchanging information and evidence, the Interior Ministry (MUP) said in a statement.

It has been established that the criminal group was organized by 27-year-old V.T. from Subotica, the place of residence of most arrestees, who also include B.D., a 38-year-old Croatian citizen from Osijek, the statement said.

They are suspected of having trafficked nearly 100 illegal migrants, mostly Pakistani, Syrian and Afghan citizens, to Hungary and other EU countries.

V.T. obtained illicit gains of EUR 200-1000 per illegal migrant depending on the destination, with other members of the criminal group pocketing EUR 50-200 per migrant or transfer.

The ministry's statement said that three human trafficking chains leading through Hungary have been broken so far in collaboration with Hungarian police officials.

This prevented 49 illegal migrants from being transferred to Western European countries, mostly Austria and Italy, the statement also said.

Interior Minister Nebojša Stefanović held a news conference in Novi Sad today to say the operation was planned for "a very long time" and confirmed it was carried out in cooperation with Hungarian authorities.

"The organized group smuggled the migrants by contacting certain people in certain camps in Greece," said the minister, and added: "They then transferred the illegal migrants to the territory of Serbia, and then to Hungary, where they used certain channels to transport them to (other) EU countries."

Italy and Austria were "most often" the final destinations, said Stefanović, and noted that the operation was a good opportunity for the police to demonstrate its cooperation with colleagues in the region.